Capping apparatus



C. HOBBS CAPPING APPARATUS July 11, 1944.

Filed Jan, 25, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet -1 2 2 3 1 1 a M I 1 9 V1 6 0 7 a 1 H hli wag WI] a r w W m a OI [II A i V r K a 7 M I I a w M 1 J m c. HOBBS CAPPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25. 1941 July 11, 1944;

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C/zarZeJ 0665- July 11, 1944.

C. HOBBS CAPPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1941 4 Sheets-"Sheet 3 July 11, 1944. i c. 0555 Q 2,353,400

- CAPPING APPARATUS Fiied Jan. 25', 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 11, 1944 CAPPING APPARATUS Charles Hobbs, Decatur, Ill., assignor to Crown Cork Specialty Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application January 25, 1941, Serial No. 375,987

(Cl. 2268l) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to capping apparatus and in particular to apparatus designed to apply caps of the type having a locking lever, such a cap being shown for example in Patent No. 873,646, issued to G. A. Williams, December 10, 1907. An object of the invention is to provide apparatus wherein the proper positioning of the container to be capped will automatically set in motion the mechanism whereby the sealing is effected, the said mechanism coming to rest at the completion of the operation. With this arrangement speedier operation is possible since the operator is required to do nothing but position the containers and remove them. Another object of the invention is to reduce splashing of container contents by providing a fixed support for the container and a movable capping head. Another object of the invention is to obtain a controlled even pressure on the closure. Another o bject is to provide apparatus which will operate on containers of various sizes with various neck dispositions so long as the neck diameter is the same. These and other objects are attained by the apparatus shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and with reference to which the invention will be explained.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the new apparatus in side elevation.

Figure 2 shows the apparatus in front elevation.

Figure 3. is a plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a partial axial section of the apparatus on a fore and aft plane.

Figure 5 is a section substantially on line 55 of Figure 4-.

Figure 6 is a partial section of the apparatus on the plane of Figure 4, but viewed from the opposite direction.

Figure 7 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of certain clutch, controlling mechanism.

Figure 8 shows the elements of Figure 7 in a different relation, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of crank and eccentric elements from which certain operative movements are derived.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral l5 designates a base, which may be mounted on a benchor table, having a forward fiat receptacle supporting surface or platform [6 to the rear of which is a socket l'l receiving the lower end of a vertical post I8. A frame I9 has upper and lower united portions and 2| which are bored to receive post I8. Fixed on top of post 18 .is a

cap 22 providing a bearing 23 for th upper end of a screw shaft 24 whose lower end is journaled in a bearing 25 on the base. Shaft 24 is threaded in a nut portion 26 of the frame 20, and at its upper end is equipped with a crank and hand wheel 2'! which is operable to adjust the frame vertically relative to the platform I 6. The frame can be locked in adjusted position by means of a clamping screw 28 having an operating lever 29, Figures 1, 2 and 4. H

Frame portion 20 has a rear bracket 30 to which is secured a motor and speed reducing unit 3! having a laterally projecting output shaft 32. A sprocket 33 has a hub portion 34 free on shaft 32. Outwardly of hub 34, Figure '3, a collar 35 is splined on shaft 32 and carries a pair of diametrically disposed pins as at 36 which are normally partly engaged in diametrical recesses as at 31 of hub 34. This relationship is yieldingly maintained by means of a compression spring -38,surrounding shaft 32 and bearing at one end against collar 35 and at the other end against an adjusting nut 39 threaded on th end of shaft 32, a suitable thrust bearing being disposed at the side of the sprocket 33 opposite collar 35. Rotation of shaft 32 is normally imparted to sprocket 33 through the pins as at 36, but upon th occurrence of extraordinary resistance to the drive of the sprocket, the pins as at 36 will be cammed out of the recesses as at 31 so that the drive of the sprocket will be interrupted.

Journaled in arms 40 and 4| rising from frame portion 20 is a shaft 42 parallel to shaft 32 and freely rotatable on this shaft is a sprocket 43 connected by a chain 44 with sprocket 33. Sprocket 43 has a hub portion 45 constituting the drive element of a one revolution clutch which includes a driven element 46, this clutch being controlled by a finger 41 pivoted at 48 to the frame. The finger 4'! is normally yieldingly held against the bottom of an annular recess of the driven element 46 by a tension spring 49 and when in this position will engage a sliding key 50 to open the clutch. Downward swinging of the finger 41 will permit the clutch to close. A clutch of this nature is disclosed in Patent No. 1,332,279, issued March 2, 192.0, to G. A. Williams et a1.

Slidable in a fore and aft keyway in the top of a forwardly projecting bracket 5| of frame poris engaged the extremity of one arm 54 of a bell crank leVB 55 pivoted at 55 beneath frame porpulls link 51 to the left, Figure 4. Spring 49 acts a to lift the link so that through the bell crank 1ever, trip 52 is held in the position of Figure 4 When shaft 42 is driven through one revolution, shaft 11 is rocked to bring cam 18 from the position of Figure 4 to that of Figure 6, the cam being then returned. While follower portions 13 and 14 are engaged with the cam faces the jaws are operatively closed about neck 69 so as to support the bead 1|.

The forward portion of frame portion 20 is provided with a lower vertical bore 84 and thereabove with a coaxial hollow neck 85 which defines a spring pocket 86 separated from bore 84 by an annular flange or wall 81, Figure 4. Splined in I bore 84 for guided vertical reciprocation is the wherein its front end is engageable by the neck of a container moved on platform I6 into proper relation to the cap applying mechanism to be later described. When the trip 52 is thus moved, finger 41 is swung downwardly to the position of Figure 7 and key 50, which is carried by the driven element 46 of the clutch, is spring projected into engagement with drive element 45 and rotation of the latter is consequently imparted to shaft 42. As element 46 is driven in the direction of the arrows,'Figures 7 and 8, a cam or knock-off portion 64 thereof engages portion 58 of link 51 and swings it to the left, Figure 8, so

that pin 62 comes into slot portion 60, thus permitting finger 41 to return to clutch opening position under the action of spring 49 and the clutch will be opened after one revolution of the driven element. During this operation the con-,

tainer will have been scaled, as will be later de scribed, and may be removed by the operator. However, it will be evident that due to the described connection between finger 41 and link 51,

proper operation of the one revolution clutch isv in no way dependent. upon a timed removal of the container. and consequent release of trip 52. The clutch opens at the proper point with the trip in the operated position of Figure 8.

In order to .relieve the container body from capping pressures, I provide clamping means engageable under the circumferential beads customarily provided on the container necks. Pivoted on top'of bracket by means of cap screws 65 and 66, Figure 5, is a pair of jaws 61 and 68 having forwardly projecting portions arcuately recessed to close about the neck 69 of a container 10 beneath the bead 1 I, Figure 6. The jaws have extensions to the rear of the pivots yieldingly drawn together by a tension spring 12 and provided with opposed cam follower portions 13 and 14 whose movement together under the action of the spring is limited by stop screws 15 and 16 so that in the open position of the jaws they are symmetrical with the longitudinal axis of trip 52 and are sufficiently spread to receive the container neck.

A shaft 11 journaled transversel in bracket 5| has fixed thereon a cam18 in the form of a major segment of a circle. The cam has parallel side faces and a substantially radial leading edge 19 rounded or tapered to constitute a wedge. The camis centered on the central longitudinal axis of trip 52 and is cooperable with the follower portions .13 and 14 of the jaws. The rest position of the cam is shown in Figure 4 and its operated position in Figures 5 and 6.

Fixed on the right hand end of shaft 11, Figures 4 and 5, is an arm 80 to which is pivoted the lower end of a link 8 I, adjustable as to length, the upper end of the link being secured to a strap 82 engaging an eccentric 83, Figures 2, 3 and 9, fixed on shaft 42.

ment against the force of spring I03.

sleeve portion 860i a capping element 89 which includes a lowerhousing portion 90 open at the rear. An air opening 84 prevents compression and vacuum effects in the upper end of the bore. A chuck 9| is fixed against the flat lower face of housing 90 and this chuck may be of any suitable type designed to receive and center a cap and retain it against gravity. Housing 96 has laterally aligned bearing portions 92 and 93, Figure 2, in which is journaled a shaft 94 on which is fixed within the housing a segmental cam 95. The upper end of sleeve 88 is closed by a threaded plug 96 having a central opening in which is slidable a rod 91 which in its lower end carries an abutment in the form of a roller 98 cooperative with the periphery of cam 95. Just above the roller notched or pierced to prevent vacuum ammm pression effects between it and plug 96'. A com pression spring I50 between the latter and the collar yieldingly holds cam and roller 98mgether V V 1 Rod 91 extends upwardly through wall 81 and therebeyond' is reduced to provide a shoulder against which is seated the outwardly flanged lower end of a sleeve IOI whose upper end is engaged by a nut threaded on the extremity of rod 91. Sleeve IOI is slidable in the bore of a plug I02 threaded in the upper end of neck 85 and a compression spring I03 surrounding sleeve IOI bears at its upper end against plug I02 and at its lower end against the sleeve flange, thereby normally yieldingly holding the latter against flange 81.

Fixed on the right hand end of the shaft 94 is an arm I94 whose free end is pivoted to a link I05 having its upper end pivoted on a crank pin I06 projecting from a disc I01, serving as a hand wheel, fixed on shaft 42. the crank in relation to the arm I04 is such that during each revolution of shaft 42 shaft 94 is rocked to bring cam 95 from the position of Figure 4 to that of Figure 6 and then to return'the came. As the cam moves from theposition of Figure 4, the capping element 89 is moved downwardly against the action of spring I00 until the dwell 95d is reached, the application ofthe cap being effected during this downward move- When the cam returns, element 89 is lifted by spring I00. While the cam dwell is in engagement with roller 98 the locking lever of the cap is swung' to locking position by means which will now be described.

Referring in particular to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4

and 6, reference numeral I 08 designates a bracket projecting generally downwardly from hearing :portion 93 and providing a bearing for a shaft 1 I09 having an eccentric finger 0 which in the {rest position of the apparatus lies in a recess. of

The throw of chuck 9| as shown in Figures 2 and 4. With the cap III properly positioned in the chuck, its locking lever H2 projects upwardly in front of the finger 0.. The outer end of shaft I09 has fixed thereon a pinion II3 which engages an idler II4 rotatably mounted on a portion of bracket I08 and in turn. engaging a gear I I5 likewiser'otatably supported on the bracket. A crank pin I IS on the lower forward portion of the outer face of gear H5 is engaged in an eye at one end of a rearwardly extending link 1, the latter being passed looselythrough. an opening in the end of the lower arm of a lever H8 pivoted on frame portion 20 at H9, Figure 1. The rear end of link II! has threaded thereon an abutment nut I20 and a compression spring I2I is engaged between the nut and the lever arm. Lever IIB has an upwardly extending arm constituted as a follower for a cam I20 fixed on shaft 42, being at all times held against the cam by spring I2I. While the dwell 95d of cam 95 is in engagement with follower 98 the rise of cam I20 engages the follower portion of lever I I8 and swings the lever in a clockwise direction, Figure 1, so that gear II 5, through spring HI and link II! is rotated in a clockwise direction, thereby causing finger III] to be swung downwardly from the position of Figure 4 to that of Figure 6 so that looking lever I I2 is swung to locking position. When the point of cam I20 moves away from the follower portion of lever N8, the parts are returned to rest position by a tension spring I22 connected between frame portion 20 and gear H5, Figures 1 and 2.

It will thus be seen that by moving a container into proper position on the platform I6, drive is automatically initiated, the jaws are closed about the container neck, the cap is applied, and the locking lever is moved to locking position. Upon return of the parts, drive is automatically interrupted. Since drive is initiated by a trip which cooperates with the container neck, it will be evident that with a neck which is off the center of the receptalle, the trip will be operated regardless of the position of the receptacle body with respect to the axis of the neck. Furthermore, the container body can be of any size which can be accommodated on the platform I6 and within the vertical range of adjustment of the capping head so long as the necks are of the same size. Necks of difierent size can, of course, be accommodated by appropriately proportioning the chuck, the jaws and the trip. Once the container is positioned on the platform it remains stationary until removed and there is a consequent avoidance of splashing such as occurs when the container is moved relative to the head in the capping operation.

The invention is, of course, susceptible of varied embodiment and, accordingly, I do not limit myself to the herein disclosed details of construction except as in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Capping apparatus comprising a fixed support for a container to be capped, a capping head including a portion movable toward and away from said support; and means for moving said movable portion including a shaft journaled in said portion, a cam on said shaft, an abutment for said cam, means for rocking said shaft including an arm on said shaft, a rotary crank supported on a fixed axis, and a link connecting said crank and arm.

2. Capping apparatus comprising a fixed support for a container to be capped, a frame above said support, a capping element guided in said frame forxreciprocation toward and away from said support, a shaft journaled in said capping element in parallel relation to said support, a cam on said shaft, an abutment for said cam supported from said. frame, a shaft journaled on said: frame parallel to. said cam shaft, means for rotating thelast-namedshaft, a crank on said last-named shaft, an ,arm fixed on said crank shaft and a link connecting said crank and arm, the arrangement being such that rotation of the crank causes oscillation of said arm.

3. Capping apparatus comprising a fixed support for a container to be capped, a frame above said support, said frame having vertical guide means above said support and a springpocket above said guide means, a flange between said guide means and said pocket, a capping element having a neck portion guided by said guide means, a shaft journaled in said capping element, a cam on said shaft, an abutment for said cam having a stem portion projecting upwardly through said neck and said spring pocket, a spring in said pocket surrounding said stem, a fixed abutment against which the upper end of said spring bears, an abutment on said stem against which the lower end of said spring bears, said spring abutment being normally held against said flange, spring means acting between said neck portion and said cam abutment whereby the latter is held against said cam, and means for oscillating said shaft.

4. Apparatus for applying a cap of the type having a locking lever, said apparatus including a fixed support for a container to be capped, a capping head including a portion movable toward and away from said support, means for reciprocating said movable portion, a rock shaft carried by said movable portion and provided with a finger for swinging said locking lever to locking position, a shaft rotatable on a fixed axis externally of said movable portion, transmission means operatively connecting said shafts, said transmission means including gearing on said movable portion, a lever mounted on a fixed axis externally of said movable portion, a link connecting said lever and a member of said gearing eccentrically of said member, and means driven by said external shaft for rocking said lever.

5. Apparatus for applying a cap of the type having a locking lever, said apparatus including a fixed support for a container to be capped, a frame above said support, a capping element guided in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from said support, pivoted jaws adapted to grip a container on said support beneath said capping element, a finger on said capping element for swinging said locking lever to locking position, a shaft journalled on said frame, a clutch comprising a drive element rotatable on said shaft and a driven element fixed on said shaft; and means operated when said clutch is closed to close said jaws on a container, to move said capping element toward the support to press the cap on the container, and to move said finger to swing said locking lever to lock the cap on the container.

6. Capping apparatus comprising a capping head, drive means for said capping head including a clutch having drive and driven members, a control finger normally holding said clutch open, a trip operated by a container positioned for capping, a link longitudinally displaced upon operation of said trip, and a pin and slot connection between said link and finger of-which the slot base. portion extending longitudinally of the link and a portion extendingtransversely of the link, the pin being normally in the "transverse portion of the slot so that upon movement of'saidtrip by the container said finger is moved and the clutch closes, a knock 01f cam on said driven member which strikes said link whereby engagement of said pin in said longitudinal slot portion is effected, and means thereupon effective to return said finger to clutch opening-position while said link is still in operated position.

'7. Capping apparatus comprising a flat support for supporting in upright position a necked container to be capped, a capping head above said support including a portion movable toward and away from said support, means for relatively vertically adjusting said head and said support so that containers of difierent heights are positionable on said support beneath said movable por-' tion for capping, drive means for moving said movable portion toward said support to apply a cap to a container on said support beneath said movable portion, a normally open clutch in said drive means, a trip positioned in front of acontainer slid to capping position on said support and at a height to be engaged and moved by the container neck, and means between said trip and clutch operated to close the latter when the trip is moved.

8. Structure according to claim '7 wherein jaws are provided at the sides of said trip for gripping the container'neck, and wherein means are provided driven from said clutch to close said jaws on the container neck' prior to the capping action of the head.

9. Capping apparatus comprising a fixedsupport for a container to be capped, a capping head including a portion movable toward and away from said support; and means for moving said movable portion including a shaft journaled in said portion, means between said shaft and head effective 'to displace the latter in capping direction upon rocking of said shaft; and means for rocking said shaft including an arm on said shaft, a rotary crank supported on a fixed axis, and a link connecting said crank and arm.

CHARLES HOBBS. 

